ERC's Five Star Thursdays
Use of Sitcoms and Dramas When the Five Star Thursday branding began in 1982-83, all programmes from 8:00 PM until 10:00 PM were sitcoms, while the 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM programme would be drama. This was the case until 2006-07, when two drama programmes aired in the 9-10PM slot, and later returned two years later in 2008-09 when dramas were broadcast in the 8:00 PM timeslot. And finally in 2011, in the 9PM slot, a reality show premiered, and since then the 9:00PM timeslot has become a 1-hour show timeslot, and therefore only comedies are broadcasted from 8-9PM until further notice. Popularity From, 1984 to 1990, every show in the Five Star Thursday block was at least in the top 40 programmes (with 1984-1987; 1998-1990, being all in the top 30), the block was proven to be very successful. Despite a few top 50 programmes (Cheers in 1982, Three's Company in 1983 and Blossom in 1991), all programmes until 2003 were in the top 40. The slot was also very popular in the 10PM slot as well. Dallas, moved to the slot in 1981, and finished in 1991, and was in the top 20's, 30's and even 1st in 1986), Law & Order, moved to the slot after 1 season on Mondays, was in the top 10's and 20's, however was moved out of the slot). Finally ER, premiered in the slot in 1994 and ended in 2009, was in majority in top 10's and 1st place, sometimes in top 20, 30 and 40 in later seasons however). The most succesful television season being 1998-1999, when all comedies were in the top 10, and ER was 1st. However, the most unsuccessful year was 2009-2010, when only one comedy was in the top 50, the rest and 10pm show were outside of the top 50 Decline After the end of Frasier and Friends in 2004, the remaining comedies, excluding Family Guy (Girlfriends, Will & Grace and new comedy American Dad) struggled to find an audience because of aging and for the latter, because of a poor lead in. Girlfriends and Will & Grace only just made it into the top 50, while ER and Family Guy still managed to find an audience. In the following season, 2005-06, only Family Guy and ER made it into the top 30, while the other remaining comedies didn't even make it into the top 50. Because of the ratings decline NBC and ERC canceled Will & Grace earlier in the season and later canceled American Dad, which moved to MyTV network. 2006-07 season, marked a change. A new drama show named Justice premiered in the 9PM slot, however due to poor ratings was canceled after just 13 episodes. Meanwhile, Girlfriends was still performing badly, and Family Guy dropped from top 10, to outside the top 50. In mid-season, another drama to replace Justice, called Lookheart premiered to good ratings, however declined quickly and was left with cancelation. The following year, with a lack of new well performing comedies, ERC were forced to include two repeat slots in their schedule, with Girlfriends starting the night, followed by a Friends repeat, followed by Family Guy and then a Family Guy repeat, plus still well performing ER. In mid-season 2008, new comedy The Avenue premiered, but faced the same fate as many shows had that year, cancelation. The following years didn't do any better either, in the 2008-09 season, new drama Eleventh Hour, lasted until May, but was canceled, and without Girlfriends, which ended the year before, new comedy Model Stuff premired in Winter and managed to find a moderate audience and was renewed, while ER was in it's final season. In 2009-10 season, Model Stuff premiered in fall to worse numbers and was forced to move to Summer, while new comedy Community premiered following Family Guy to again, moderate ratings and was later moved to the 8PM slot after a few episodes, but with no improvement. The friends repeat was forced to return and new comedy Hey Girl Hey premiered, however like all the others, with moderate ratings. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, took over ER's long reigning 10PM slot with it's lowest ratings ever and was, in the end, moved to another network. Turn For the Better The 2010-11 season took a slight turn for the better. Despite new comedy's Parks and Recreation's ratings being moderate, and Family Guy moving to Sunday's, to eventually find a better audience, new comedy, Built Up ended up falling in the top 10 ratings and Model Stuff followed this with bad ratings and was canceled at the end of the season, as well as Kourtney & Kim: Take NY. However at 10PM CSI: NY moved from Friday's and scored in the top 20, and in 2011, new reality show Sitcom Superstar also landed in the top 10. In the present season (2011-12), Last Man Standing at 8PM, has been averaging 11 to 12 million viewers per week, and Rules of Engagament has been averaging 10 to 11 million. While San Sato I.D has been averaging 12 to 13 millions, and Nikita has been dissapointing, however will be moved to Fridays and replaced by more popular drama The Vampire Diaries, while Sitcom Superstar will replace San Sato I.D in the spring, while Rules of Engagement is on it's break, new comedy Lovebirds with excellent reviews, will premiere. This may be the overhaul of the Thursday night block.